Saturday, January 19, 2013

January 2013 Favorites List

That time of year again. January. I must admit I get a little introspective
this time of year. I think it is because the world is a bit more quiet
than during the holidays and there are less distractions so I look at my
life a bit closer. But when I do feel a bit down, I embrace it. Extra
time in the bathtub or time with friends usually help. I create new
recipes, and meditate an extra 10 minutes each day. I sleep in a bit more on Sundays when I can...
Here where I live, winter is just getting going and we start the rainy season in earnest.
Holidays
behind us (just when my pandora classic christmas station was perfectly
honed!) I am starting the year with a new favorites list. Would love to
hear your favorites too. xo

1. Manuka Honey.
I have replaced all of my first aid salves and creams with this honey. I
threw my antibacterial ointment in the trash. I usually use rescue
remedy cream anyway, but even that is being replaced by my new friend;
honey. I buy this New Zealand honey and use it now exclusively. It can
help wounds heal up to 36% faster than traditional wound care and it is
effective against superbug bacteria like MRSA. Great for kids because it
will prevent a bandaid from sticking to their wounds. My jar was about
$22 for 8.75 ounces which is a total price deal compared to triple
antibiotic ointments that are also petroleum based. I also buy the 250+
Manuka Honey which has been tested and is certified to contain at least
400mg/kg of dietary methylglyoxal. I have been using it for M's cracked lips, canker sores, cuts, blemishes, stomach aches..the list goes on and on.

It
could be my inner wish-I-had-become-a-doctor syndrome, but all my
girlfriends love this show too. Call The Midwife is based on the memoir
of Jennifer Worth and her stories of being a midwife in East London
during the 1950's. I think I have cried every episode. Well acted, funny
and stories that warm the heart. Chummy, a character on the show is my
new favorite all-star. Because it is on PBS, all the shows are
available online to watch for free!

I
have said goodbye to GT's kombucha and hello to this brand. It tastes
like tea, has a bit of carbonation (just enough to make it completely
refreshing but not too much) and is sold in half-gallon sizes at my
co-op. There is a deposit for the bottle, but it is reimbursed when you
return it to the store. A bunch of cool cats in Northern California brew
this up. LOVE!

A fascinating article based on the principles ofRestorative Justice.
I was first introduced to restorative justice when I was on the board
of directors of my local cultural center. A group of kids broke into a
storage shed at the center and stole alcohol. They were caught and the
executive director of the center (who had been a principal at a local
alternative school) asked if the board would consider restorative
justice for the children as an action for the issue. It meant that the
kids took full responsibility for their actions and were an active part
of their "punishment" which was really them constructing a way to repair
what they had done under the supervision of the director who believed
in using the experience as a positive and learning one rather than a
shaming one.

My
sister turned me on to this app for parking in San Francisco. All the
parking meters in San Francisco can now be paid on my smartphone with
this app. You enter in your credit card information which they keep on
file. When you park you enter the meter number and the amount of minutes
you want to pay for. You can pay remotely for your parking meter if you
want more time and it even sends you a text message when your meter
time is getting low. No more rushing to put money in the meter!

An
advice column originally on Rumpus.net that was made into a book. My
dear friend Jilan gave this to me for my birthday. It reads a bit like a
modern day Dear Abby. Each chapter or section starts with a letter to
Dear Sugar which is then answered. The stories go deep. Abuse,
infidelity, transgender issues, death. Every story I have cried. Every
single one. Life just never stops, and I love her words to keep going.
Always keep going. Always. An incredible way to start off the year. I
could not put the book down. Cheryl's acidic wit and bluntness had me
cheering alone in my room. She just cuts to the chase. But with love.
Always with love.

WhenWebMD
has a write-up on Elderberry Syrup for treating the flu, I guess it is
finally made it big. I have been using this syrup every winter for 5
years now. I did get the dreaded Influenza about 4 years ago. And, with
elderberry syrup and homeopathy, it was only 3 days of hell instead of
6. I love that it is safe for children. It is about $15 per bottle where
I live, which is such a small investment if you get the flu and when
you are ready to pay any price to get better. Just this last week news
about what a severe flu season this has been popping up. You must start taking this as soon as you start feeling it come on, so get a bottle now to have on hand.

A while ago I switched to this form of Omega 3 Fatty Acid. I take DHA, which is the most bio-available form of Omega 3 fatty acid. I used to take fish oil, but like this one without the fish burps. After all, fish eat algae to make DHA in their tissues and over fishing is happening more and more. It just seemed like a natural evolution for me.This Time Magazine article is an interesting look at the fish oil industry impacting world wide fish populations. Why take DHA? It heals the gut, helps feed vital neurotransmitters, is anti-inflammatory, helps balance the steroid hormone cascade, boosts immunity and provides support for healthy blood lipids.

Great list, Jessica! I read about tiny beautiful things on Brainpickings recently and then forgot about it - must check it out. And putting Manuka honey on my list...it sounds like a great alternative to polysporin for those little cuts and scrapes.

About Me

"There is nothing more sincere than the love of food"
George Bernard Shaw..........
Part country girl, part city girl. Can be found from time to time meditating and supporting local farms.
email: seaweedsnacks@gmail.com